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Are automated orders at McDonald’s a game changer?

Are automated orders at McDonald’s a game changer?

On a recent visit to a remodeled McDonald’s restaurant in Orange, I was greeted by the latest in burger-ordering technology.

A large self-service display that allowed me, with touchscreen technology, to have it my way without human interaction.

Automation continues to touch many parts of our daily lives — both as consumers and worker bees. Numerous questions swirl about what this latest wave of technology intrusion into the shopping arena and workplace will eventually mean.

To me, a simple point of contention: Does it work?

The McDonald’s system I was trying — human order takers were also available — seemed rather well thought out. The menu choices were easily accessible and one’s ability to craft customized food was greatly enhanced.

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Unfortunately, there’s a learning curve for all involved, too. I had to fumble my way through the ordering protocol … making a few goofs along the way. And I noticed that my self-directed order was served somewhat after orders taken at the traditional counter were made. But I’m not sure if the number of customizations I opted for threw a wrinkle into McDonald’s often well-oiled production line.

Of course, monetary thoughts came to my mind as I was going through this process — how much money is really saved by this technology?

Will this upgrade improve McDonald’s shaky slice of the fast-food business?

How much does this change profitability vs. double drive-through lanes at the refurbished McDonald’s?

When the gee-whiz factor of touchscreen orders wears off, how many folks will use these kiosks when a human order taker is just steps away?

And how long will it be until these kiosks get ripped out when you simply make an order on your cell phone, as more than a few restaurant chains are already offering?

Political undertones enter my mind, too.

Numerous critics of government-imposed minimum wages, and the current movement to move those wages higher, have warned that extra employment costs will serve as added motivation for restaurant operators to add automation to cut labor expenditures. But in this era of a tight labor market, numerous employers are being forced to up wages regardless of what the government tells them they must do.

I did note at the same restaurant with the fancy ordering alternative that a “help wanted” sign highlighted the fact that starting wages were $11 an hour — a bit above California’s minimum.

And the minimum wage debate has seen some wrinkles in recent weeks.

One study of the Seattle employment market after that city increased its minimum wage suggests that jobs were lost due to the higher salaries. That conflicts with other evidence that the minimum wage, at worst, limits job growth in low-paying occupations.

In Missouri, state lawmakers enacted new labor rules that will force the city of St. Louis to roll back it’s $10-an-hour minimum wage to the state $7.70 level. That’s one of the harshest anti-minimum-wage efforts to date.

Automating the ordering process at eateries is nothing new.

Two decades ago, the Sheetz convenience-store chain back east rolled out touchscreen ordering for custom sandwiches made at its deli counters. Who knew the Midwest could be so cutting-edge?

And more recently Starbucks has had its share of success — with some headaches — from its cellphone-driven ordering system. One challenge the coffee shop giant ran into — something all restaurant operators thinking about automation should ponder — is automation is so popular that it outstrips your ability to deliver the product in a respectable amount of time.

Lowered electronics costs and smarter technology means automation — and its ability to eliminate jobs — will continue to grow as a commercial process, no matter what the pay scale, mandated or not.

How often do you pay a highway toll to a human? Or a fee at a parking lot? Printing your tickets for a plane trip or an entertainment event are forms of automated transactions, too — although those gates are still manned.

We seem to want it both ways. We want commerce to be conducted quickly and cheaply — but that personal touch we also yearn for is expensive. We want an economy that produces more jobs with decent wages — then complain when automation trims poorly paying jobs.

So my meal at McDonald’s gave me plenty to chew on. Like, who knew you could adjust how much butter was on your McMuffin to three different levels?

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Rating: 6.6/10 (5 votes cast)

Are automated orders at McDonald's a game changer?, 6.6 out of 10 based on 5 ratings

The problem with liberals is that they think companies exist to provide people with a paycheck and benefits. I’ve tried to explain to numerous liberals that, labor is simply another expenditure on the income statement. You are selling your time, and the employer is buying that time at a certain rate. Once that cost become too high, it becomes economical to search for alternatives such as these new automated ordering kiosks. Unfortunately, trying to explain real-world economics to a liberal would be like Einstein trying to explain Relativity to his dog, but at least the dog will actually listen.

And when that automated gear breaks down, guys like me get BIG BUCKS to fix it. Or to install the latest and greatest upgrade. It doesn’t always pay to make writing computer code your best option.
So bring on that PLC controlled whopper flopper machine 😉

WAIT!! You didn’t have to go deep in debt to get those skills! Thinking beats borrowing every time. As for writing computer code, some of us really like coding. I am doing an RPG game right now. It is not for sale. It is just to get it done after 30 years. I might not like coding every day for a living, but, I taught for 20 years and am happily retired.

To each his own, but I really enjoyed flipping the switch and the lights come on. And how many guys do you know that have spent time rewiring an A/C plant controller, one big enough to stand in. in fact four of them on that job. Or rewired a fire control switchboard. Or install mods to the Ballast Control Switchboard on a Fast Attack submarine. Making all the bells ring and the lights light up on that kind of gear always gave me a sense of satisfaction that I found hard to walk away from. But then I am a 3rd generation electrician, maybe that had something to do with it.

The author attempts to downplay the impact increasing wages has on the shift to automation, but clearly artificial (i.e. government-dictated) wage growth along with decreasing costs of technology are the driving factors. However, a secondary factor that I think is under-reported is the lack of even minimally-competent candidates for employment. Our vote-buying welfare system and culture of victimhood and government-dependency has shrunk the pool of willing workers, and our failed family and educational institutions have ensured that few of those willing to work have the requisite skills. Given the choice at most stores/restaurants, I will choose the automated system over the generally rude/apathetic and almost always incompetent employee.

You are correct Pete. The work force pool of fast food employees will be unable to compete with machines. A machine never calls in sick, never shows up with poor hygiene, never quits after 2 days on the job, never ignores orders from the boss, never demands a raise. It just quietly does it’s job without drama.

It won’t be long until even burger flipping will become automated. The only person in the hamburger stand will be the person loading frozen burger pucks into a hopper for automated cooking, assembly, and wrapping.

Never forget, that in the history of everything, that works, there was a time, that it didn’t. New technology will always have a few glitches, thus versions .1, .2, .3, 2.0,3.0… And the people who use it, will also need to learn how to properly operate it. This will pass and everything will work better, except for the ones who feel they should get $15 an hour, to fill a paper bag with a Big Mac, and fries. Sadly, they will no longer be working.

None but the Lefty-Loonies will be surprised to discover automation a trend, with the ultimate goal of eliminating unskilled, unreliable, too often troublesome, with compensation forced by government beyond their worth, employees. Besides, robots don’t get sick, don’t come in late, dirty, or hung over, don’t spit in customers’ food, don’t argue with customers, have no political agenda with which to attack and insult customers, can count, have perfect retention of orders, and will never complain about working conditions. The Loonies never saw it coming, for, as always, their infernal and continual meddling in private affairs has consequences that their self-righteousness and assumed moral superiority never allow them to see, never mind consider. When will all the millions of fools who support and endorse the Lefty-Loony agenda, recognize and acknowledge, at long last, that it is THEY who suffer from the madness? So far…NOT.

One of the deals is the Government of liptards wants to be able to TAX the 15.00 or whatever rather than the 7.75. So, what does the 15.00 actually gain that new higher wage earner after state, county, local, and federal taxes are applied. Just another tax scam for the governments after “convincing” the folks they will now have a living wage…. now protest for it. I read somewhere, I don’t have the source to quote, so maybe I’m nightmareing, that some now are investigating if they can tax the machines/kiosks at prevailing wage rates. Which is more evidence, if true, it’s about the taxes not folks and living wages. The brainfarts know but won’t admit you cannot legislate living wages….whatever is legislated is negated with increased costs/prices.

The touch-screen when interfaced to a robot chef will be faster. A robot chef doesn’t ask for time off, maternity leave, sick days or over-time. A robot can be automatically sterilized so health should improve too.
Robots are getting less expensive and labor costs are going up.
Right now illegal labor is the low cost labor. But the increase in food borne illness says that hand washing is not a habit south of the border.

The job to train for is doing the installation, programming, and maintenance of the robotic systems. The robots will continue to be built in the far east since the skilled assembly labor is less expensive there; but once they come off the ship someone in The United States of America will need to deal with them for years. Look at auto assembly plants today for the way hamburger assembly plants will be done very soon.

Those fast food workers demanding $15.00 per hour minimum wage should have been careful what they were wishing for. Looks like they are getting it and joining the unemployment line.

Those people behind the counter only know how to touch a screen by putting a finger on a picture of the item being ordered. It also tells them how much the customer must pay and tells how much change to return. Fast food places have had these touch screens at their counters as far back as the late 1980s. All McDonald’s is doing is turning the counter machines around and letting the customer touch the screens. The comedian Sindbad talked about that very thing about 20 years ago. His comment was: “How much intelligence do you need to do that?”

Perhaps some of those workers should think about learning some new skills. Those touch screen machines that are replacing the people at the counter will not be in working order for ever. They will eventually break down and need repairs. Perhaps those out-of-work people should explore the possibility of getting the needed training to be able to repair them. Then they will not worry about minimum wage because they would be making more than that. That would only require a little work to complete the needed training. That four letter word “WORK” pops up again.

I recently visited an Applebee’s, even though I dislike their food. My server started to go into great length to explain how their touch screen order device worked. I stopped him and said, “Do you expect a tip? If so, answer my questions and take my order!” He stomped off, then I contacted their Customer Service office. The manager called a few days later to apologize, and said my name is now in “the book.” And when I visited again to let the manager on duty know this to receive a free appetizer or dessert of my choice. Yeah right, I won’t be back.

Now, if an order is wrong at McDonald’s who is to blame? Or, will I need to “login” to complain?

The interface design always asks the individual entering the order to confirm the choices prior to submission. If the order is entered wrong, and confirmed as entered, the fault lies with the individual doing the entry. “Looks like the problem is on your end.”

Call me cold if you want, but if its a choice of using a machine that costs next to nothing as I dont have to pay for vacations or benefits or sick leave or listing to them ***** about their jobs or uniforms, or hire a snot nosed little punk or some fat overweight twit who cant speak english and uses ebonics and wants $15.00 an hour to flip hamburgers or serve pizza….sorry but I pick the machine every time.

When I lived in an area served by Sheetz I much preferred to order online from home and by the time I drove to the store the food was ready. I did on occasion order thru their in store kiosk and it was simple to do. I just wished they had some way to pay w/out having to stand in line.
There was a sub shop that you could order and pay online and that’s the way to go.

These idiots need to look at Detroit to see what’s going to happen. When the automakers realized that machines worked faster, smarter, cheaper, and 24/7 what happened to overpaid unskilled lazy bitchy Union employees? The few workers that are left still get decent money but now they’re having to work and earn it. The car companies are doing more with fewer people.